Each year, we celebrate the equality of the sexes on August 26, but why is that specific date Women’s Equality Day?
Well, it comes down to the 19th Amendment, which guarantees women the right to vote. Here’s the thing, though: the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18th, 1920. So why do we celebrate eight days later?
The answer will all become clear, but first let’s back up and revisit some high school civics class lessons. The amendment process is the system our founders created to add to or change our Constitution. There have been more than 11,000 attempts to do this, and yet only 27 amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution. See, the amendment process is difficult by design: you have to have ¾ of the states in favor in order for an amendment to be ratified.
The battle for women’s suffrage had been going at least a century before the 19th Amendment was ratified. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to sign on (and therefore the winning “vote”). It was close, essentially coming down to one guy, Harry, T. Burn, who had been persuaded to vote in favor after being persuaded by his mom.
Even after the 19th Amendment had been ratified, those against women’s suffrage kept their fight going, trying everything they could think of to nullify it. Their efforts would prove unsuccessful, of course, but it did take eight days for the Secretary of State to certify that the 19th Amendment had been ratified and officially add it to the Constitution. And so, on August 26, 1920, the issue was finally settled and women would have the right to vote from them on.
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